Fire alarm — NFPA 72
| Activity | Frequency | By whom |
|---|
| Visual inspection of initiating devices | Semiannually | Contractor |
| Full functional test of system | Annually | Contractor |
| Battery load test & capacity calculation | Annually | Contractor |
| Sensitivity testing of smoke detectors | Per NFPA 72 §14.4.5.3 (typically every 2 years after first year) | Contractor |
| Replacement of smoke detectors | 10 years from manufacture (NFPA 72 §14.4.7) | Contractor |
| Communicator path testing | Daily (automated) + annual (contractor) | System & contractor |
Sprinkler — NFPA 25
| Activity | Frequency |
|---|
| Gauge inspection (visual) | Weekly (dry/preaction air gauge) / Monthly (wet) |
| Control valve inspection (locked/sealed) | Weekly (locked) / Monthly (sealed) |
| Main drain test | Annually (quarterly where the system is monitored only by a flow switch) |
| Antifreeze loop concentration test | Annually |
| Fire pump churn test (no-flow) | Weekly (electric) / Weekly (diesel, with 30-min run) |
| Fire pump annual full-flow test | Annually |
| Internal pipe inspection / obstruction investigation | 5 years |
| Sprinkler head sample test (representative sample) | 50 years from install for most heads; sooner for dry, ESFR, or harsh environments |
Fire extinguishers — NFPA 10
| Activity | Frequency | By whom |
|---|
| Visual inspection (tag punch) | Monthly | Building staff or contractor |
| Annual inspection | Annually | Contractor |
| Internal maintenance — dry chemical | 6 years | Contractor |
| Hydrostatic test — dry chemical | 12 years | Contractor |
| Hydrostatic test — CO₂ | 5 years | Contractor |
Fire doors — NFPA 80
| Activity | Frequency |
|---|
| Drop test, label check, hardware function, gap measurement | Annually |
Kitchen suppression — NFPA 96
| Activity | Frequency |
|---|
| Full suppression system inspection | Semiannually |
| Hood cleaning | Quarterly to monthly (frequency tied to cooking volume; per NFPA 96 §11.4) |
Emergency & exit lighting — NFPA 101
| Activity | Frequency |
|---|
| 30-second functional test | Monthly |
| 90-minute discharge test | Annually |
Clean agent — NFPA 2001
| Activity | Frequency |
|---|
| Visual inspection of agent cylinders | Semiannually |
| Functional test (without discharge) | Annually |
| Room integrity (door fan) test | Annually (or per system manufacturer) |
| Cylinder hydrostatic test | 5 years (DOT-regulated) |
ERCES — NFPA 1225
| Activity | Frequency |
|---|
| Annual ERCES test (full grid + battery) | Annually |
Full ERCES detail at our BDA Division site.
Local AHJs can require more. The intervals above are the NFPA minimums adopted under Texas Administrative Code Title 28. Some Texas AHJs impose stricter local frequencies. Always check the local fire marshal's adopted code via our
AHJ Lookup.
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